Communication monitoring system in which monitoring server is connected with network

Abstract

A communication monitoring system is comprised of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus connected with a network, a host computer connected with the network, and a monitoring unit connected with the network. The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and the host computer carry out a sequence of communications through the network about a process of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. The monitoring unit takes therein a first set of packets of the first sequence of communications and a second set of packets of the second sequence of communications through the network between the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and the host computer, and determines whether the communication between of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and the host computer is normal or defective, based on the packets of the first and second sets.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A communication monitoring system comprising: 
 a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus connected with a network;    a host computer connected with said network, wherein said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer carry out a sequence of communications through said network about a process of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus; and    a monitoring unit connected with said network, takes therein a first set of packets of said first sequence of communications and a second set of packets of said second sequence of communications through said network between said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer, and determines whether said communication between of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer is normal or defective, based on said packets of said first and second sets.    
     
     
         2 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring unit compares an order of said packets of said first set and an order of said packets of said second set and determines whether said communication between of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer is normal or defective, based on the comparison result of the order of said packets of said first set and the order of said packets of said second set.  
     
     
         3 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein when a first one of said packets of said second set which is transmitted from said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus to said host computer in said second sequence of communications is determined to be normal but has been not received by said host computer, said monitoring unit instructs said host computer to receive a second one of said packets of said second set which is transmitted from said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus to said host computer in said second sequence of communications through said network, immediately after the transmission of said first packet.  
     
     
         4 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 3 , wherein said monitoring unit further instructs said host computer to continue subsequent communications of said second sequence to the reception of said second packet.  
     
     
         5 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring unit determines that said communication from one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer to the other is defective, when said first packet is transmitted from one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer to the other and then a third one, next to said first packet, of said packets of said second set is not transmitted from the other to said one through said network within a predetermined time from the transmission of said first packet.  
     
     
         6 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said packets of said second set has a communication header containing an address of one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer as a source address and an address of the other as a destination address, and an apparatus ID for said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communication from one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer to the other is defective, when one of said source address and said destination address corresponding to said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus does not correspond to said apparatus ID.    
     
     
         7 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said packets of said second set has a communication header containing an address of one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer as a source address and an address of the other as a destination address, and an apparatus ID for said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communication from said host computer to said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus is defective, when said destination addresses are not coincident with each other among said packets from said host computer to said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus.    
     
     
         8 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said packets of said second set has a communication header, an apparatus ID for said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and a carrier ID of a carrier in which semiconductor wafers are accommodated, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communications of said second sequence are defective, when said carrier IDs are not coincident with each other among said packets of said second set.    
     
     
         9 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 8 , wherein some of said packets of said second set has a wafer ID in addition to the communication header, the apparatus ID, and the carrier ID, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communications of said second sequence are defective, when said wafer IDs are not coincident with each other among said some packets of said second set.    
     
     
         10 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said communications of said second sequence are carried out in accordance with one of predetermined data formats, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said sequence of said communications is defective, when data formats are not coincident with each other between corresponding two of said communications of said second sequence.    
     
     
         11 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring unit stores said first set of said packets of said first sequence of said communications and discards said second set of said packets of said second sequence of said communications, after it is determined that said second sequence of said communications is normal.  
     
     
         12 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring unit stores said first set of said packets of said first sequence of said communications, and updates each of said packets of said first set by a corresponding one of said packets of said second set of said second sequence of said communications, after it is determined that said second sequence of said communications is normal.  
     
     
         13 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein said communication between said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer is of HSMS (HIGH-SPEED SECS MESSAGE SERVICES) communication based on the SEMI standard.  
     
     
         14 . A communication monitoring system comprising: 
 a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus connected with a network;    a host computer connected with said network, wherein said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer carry out a sequence of communications through said network about a process of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus; and    a monitoring unit connected with said network, takes therein a first set of packets of said first sequence of communications and a second set of packets of said second sequence of communications through said network between said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer, an order of said packets of said first set and an order of said packets of said second set, compares said packets of said second set in at least one of a data format and data in each of said packets, and determines whether said communication between of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer is normal or defective, based on the comparing results.    
     
     
         15 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 14 , wherein said monitoring unit further instructs said host computer to continue subsequent communications of said second sequence to the reception of said second packet.  
     
     
         16 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 14 , wherein said monitoring unit determines that said communication from one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer to the other is defective, when said first packet is transmitted from one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer to the other and then a third one, next to said first packet, of said packets of said second set is not transmitted from the other to said one through said network within a predetermined time from the transmission of said first packet.  
     
     
         17 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 14 , wherein each of said packets of said second set has a communication header containing an address of one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer as a source address and an address of the other as a destination address, and an apparatus ID for said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communication from one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer to the other is defective, when one of said source address and said destination address corresponding to said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus does not correspond to said apparatus ID.    
     
     
         18 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 14 , wherein each of said packets of said second set has a communication header containing an address of one of said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and said host computer as a source address and an address of the other as a destination address, and an apparatus ID for said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communication from said host computer to said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus is defective, when said destination addresses are not coincident with each other among said packets from said host computer to said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus.    
     
     
         19 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 14 , wherein each of said packets of said second set has a communication header, an apparatus ID for said semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, and a carrier ID of a carrier in which semiconductor wafers are accommodated, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communications of said second sequence are defective, when said carrier IDs are not coincident with each other among said packets of said second set.    
     
     
         20 . The communication monitoring system according to  claim 19 , wherein some of said packets of said second set has a wafer ID in addition to the communication header, the apparatus ID, and the carrier ID, and 
 said monitoring unit determines that said communications of said second sequence are defective, when said wafer IDs are not coincident with each other among said some packets of said second set.